Come What May
by AbsolutelyDemure
Summary: After discovering she had a unique gift, Aspen Simone is sent to live in New Orleans and attend Miss Robichaux's Academy. The last thing she expected to was put herself in further risk, and even possibly fall in love with the neighbor boy. With powers and abilities sparking within her, the young witch finds her life thrown out of control with little to no hope of gaining it back.
1. Prologue

**˚✧* –––** **Prologue** ❜

 _Author's Note_ : While I don't want this to be too long, I just wanted to make sure you guys are aware that this is planned to be a Luke/OC, and each chapter will follow the show episodes. That being said, this will obviously be a slight AU. If you guys like this enough, let me know and I'd be more than willing to bring my OC maybe to the Hotel or Murder House!

It had been a busy business day for the small, hole-in-the-wall gardening shop huddled up a few miles north of New Orleans. All day people had been bustling in and out, purchasing lush plant life and all the accessories one would need for taking proper care of them. By that afternoon, the workers were left dazed and high off the smell of money and cow manure. Despite how hard they worked that day though, they knew they couldn't lock up the store for another good half hour.

Aspen Simone stood giddily at the cash register, counting over the amount they had made for the day. A smile tugged at her lightly painted lips at the realization that her parents wouldn't have to shut down the shop for a while- especially if things continued go so swimmingly. For the past two years her life had been hell, but she finally found a place that she could call home. She had a new adoptive family who treated her like their own, and they gave her complete run of their garden shop. It was almost like some sick and twisted game of Life- lose your family, gain another.

A small bell rang out alerting the young girl of another customer, causing her to quickly put the money away and brush a bit of her frizzy, honey butter colored hair out of her face. Waltzing in through the rows of botany and gardening accessories, was a middle aged man wearing a beaning, t-shirt and jeans- all of them varying shades of black. If it wasn't for the constant reminder to always smile that she gave herself, Aspen might have frowned at the obviously out of place man.

"How can I help you?" She finally chirped up, causing the man to look in her direction. "Asian Pears and Ginger is in season so we're plenty of stocked up if you wanted to give those a gander!"

The man scowled at her, finally stomping directly into her direction and focusing his cold eyes on her. He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out some sort of pistol that Aspen didn't quite recognize. When she did realize what it was, her blood ran cold and the smile quickly dropped from her face. She could feel her heart rate increase- hear the beating in her ears as time seemed to slow.

"Hand over the money, now." He demanded, pointing the gun directly at her face from across the table. "I'm not going to ask twice!"

"N-No please, we're just a small family-ran shop! This is all we have!" Aspen tried to plead with him, her steel colored eyes beginning to brim with tears.

"I told you, I'm not going to ask twice!"

As the man unlocked the safety on his gun, the young cashier threw her hands up in front to cover herself as she shrieked back. Gritting her teeth, she prepared for the what she assumed to be an excruciating bullet to rickashay into her petite body. Seconds ticked by and the painful silence was filled with desperate gasps for air and pleading. Anxiously, Aspen peeked over her arms and expected to see a gun still pointed in her face, but saw nothing.

Still hearing the gasps, she meekly stepped forward and gazed over the cashier's table to see the man on the ground, and the gun abandoned. The man clawed wildly at his throat as he tried to catch his breath, before rolling over onto his side and throwing up blood. Fear rose up in Aspen as she stumbled back and reached for the phone under the table. She struggled to dial 911, her fingers shaking uncontrollably as she finally was able to press the correct numbers.

"Please, send an ambulance and the police! O-Or something, I don't know! This guy just tried to rob me and now he's on the ground throwing up blood and I don't know what the hell to do!" She urgently stammered out to the person on the other line, backing up away from the man until her back was pressed against the wall behind her.

"Stay calm, ma'am. I'm sending dispatch out now and you'll have help soon."

* * *

A handful of cop cars sat scattered outside of the garden shop. The sun had gone down only moments ago, the street lights and red and blue LED lights being the only source to light up the street. Aspen sat in the back of an ambulance, a comfort blanket wrapped around her and a cop before her. He shone his light up slightly, causing the young woman to squint and lean away in annoyance.

"So, let me get this straight… He went to shoot you, then just fell over and started to seize up and upchuck blood?" The cop's dark eyebrows were knitted together in disbelief, as he read off what he wrote down only moment before.

"Yeah, officer." Aspen nodded her head and tugged the blanket tightly around her shoulders. "I begged him not to take the money, and then he went to shoot me but…"

"If you'll excuse me one moment," The cop cut her off as a female officer stepped up and tapped him on his shoulder. He gave her a nod before pulling himself a few feet away from Aspen so they could talk in private.

Anxiety and disgust mixed inside her like some awful cocktail as she tried to calm herself down. She had done nothing wrong- there was no way! All she did was throw her hands up, so why wouldn't these cops just let her hurry home so she can spend her surely to be sleepless night in bed? Silently, she watched as the two cops spoke back and forth, before the female one who had pulled him away stepped forward.

"Miss Simone, I'm afraid we will have to take you in for more questioning. You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer. Anything you say may be held against you in the court of law," the brunette woman began to read off the Miranda Rights as she reached for her hand cuffs.

"P-Please, I did nothing wrong!" Aspen cried out, allowing the older woman to pull her up and place her hands behind her back. "I wouldn't hurt a soul!"

Her pleas went unheard, and the young teen was ushered into the back of the police car. As she climbed in and had the door slammed behind her, Aspen took one last look at the only place to bring her happiness recently- the garden shop. She could already feel her eyes stinging again with the familiar tears she had shed just an hour before. As if her night couldn't have got any worse, Aspen found herself more confused and scared than ever before.


	2. Chapter 1

**˚✧* –––** **Chapter One** ❜

Once again, Aspen Simone spent the rest of her night and morning as confused as ever. After being held over night she was sure she would be convicted for killing the man and possibly jailed. But when a woman with large fiery hair and two albino men in suits showed up, it was as if she was honored with immunity from the law. She was immediately let free and instructed to follow them. In the back of her mind the age old 'don't go with strangers' warning kept popping up in her head, but the way the odd woman carried herself almost enchanted the young teen.

"You're simply a witch, my dear." The woman finally spoke up once they were safely huddled in the back of her dark car. "As soon as I saw the news reports, I knew it. We contacted your guardians and have explained the situation to them. They were more than willing to give us permission to take you to Miss Robichaux's Academy in order to groom your abilities."

"I-I'm sorry ma'am, but what? That can't be right. Am I on some weird version of Scared Straight or something? 'Cause I swear I didn't hurt that man." Aspen bit down anxiously on the inside of her cheek, her fingers fumbling with the sleeve of her shirt as she tried to process what was said.

"You were scared. It was surely an accident- something that happens all the time to the young and talented. Natural instincts kicked in and you helped yourself. They said the man died of poisoning- Nightshade, of all things."

"Nightshade? That proves it right there- I don't have any, and neither does the garden shop!" She eagerly quipped, happy to finally prove herself innocent.

"All witches have their own abilities, some more rare than others. I suspect your ability has to do with some sort of poison manipulation but it is rather unclear. Cordelia will have to help you figure out just what that was and what else you're capable of." The woman rested her ruby gloved hands on her lap as she mused out loud.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull with me b-" Aspen was quickly cut off before she could demand to be let out.

"Your mother reacted the same way," Myrtle Snow passively shrugged her shoulders.

"My mother? You mean my adoptive one?"

"No, your birth mother." The memory of her caused a frown to flash across the older woman's face for a moment. "Your mother was a talented witch. We asked her not to move too far, especially with all the danger for people like us."

It was as if the car had stopped, and Aspen couldn't breath. Just over two years ago she had lost both of her parents in a rather brutal way. One night while she was staying over at a friend's house, she got the call that there was an emergency. She was quickly picked up by a social worker and police, who later explained that there was an attack. Some man- who had yet to be identified, broke into their home and shot both of her parents in cold blood. Aspen always chalked it up to a robbery gone wrong, but now she didn't know what to think.

"Witch hunters," Myrtle finally spoke up, shaking the short girl from her thoughts. "We already have enough things working against us, and as always we have the witch hunters. The coven will be your new family and will protect you from all of that. You have no reason to worry."

The two fell silent after a little while as Aspen tried to soak in the new information that was being fed to her. She was just as big of a Harry Potter fan as anyone else- she prayed as hard as she could to get her letter to Hogwarts in the mail when she was a pre-teen. Never did she think her letter to start learning witchcraft would come like this, at the cost of lives. She wanted to run- to tell the crazy woman that it had to be some sort of mix up, but Aspen knew deep down that wasn't the case.

* * *

From the moment she was dropped off, Aspen found herself running dozens of scenarios through her head. Surely she could just run away, but that little voice inside her head told her not to. She had to stay and learn this stuff- especially if she didn't want another accident like the one just the day before.

Instead of taking her things and bolting down the street, she pulled herself forward and pushed into the plantation style house looming before her, anxiously praying that the house wasn't as filled as it had surely once been. To her happiness, she found that it wasn't. The last thing she wanted was to live with a dozen other witches and make herself look like a complete murderous fool. She was greeted eagerly by the headmistress- a blonde woman with large glasses named Cordelia, and introduced to three other witches around her age.

Aspen eyed them wearily, deciding that Nan and Queenie seemed nice enough. They were the type of girls she'd be friends with in school- misfits just like her, who was too odd for the 'in-crowd' to take notice of. Madison on the other hand, made her feel insecure and cautious. She had seen the girl's movies and all the tabloid news about her. There was something about her that she didn't like- maybe it was her cynical attitude or the inner diva of Madison's that sent Aspen into an annoyance induced headache.

"You think you get a headache from her? Try having to listen to her thoughts twenty-four seven!" Nan snickered from her spot next to Queenie, a devious grin etched onto her face.

"That's enough, Nan. Aspen and I have a lot to discuss, and Zoe should be here soon. While Aspen and I meet in the office, please let Zoe in and show her around." Cordelia gave the newest witch a welcoming smile, and lead her through the rather empty 'academy'.

The two finally found their way into the pristine, white office. Cordelia took her seat on the other side of the table and folded her legs professionally. The blonde reached into her desk and pulled out a manila folder, and set it open on the table. From where Aspen sat, she could see a polaroid of herself clipped onto the top right of the folder, with an extensive looking paperwork underneath.

"So," Cordelia began, "down to business. The police reports say that what had killed the man was an airborne poison- Nightshade, to be particular. You work in a garden shop, correct? I need you to be completely honest, have you ever worked with that plant before?"

"No, of course not. Sure I'm around plants a lot, but if anything I look to the good kind. The ones that have positive vibes, you know? Like how Roses stand for love and should be used at weddings, and Cosmos when you want a peaceful and serene mood."

"You take interest in plants, then? You'll love potion making then-"

"I'm sorry to cut you off, but…" Aspen could feel her head pounding, an irritating migraine approaching.

Quickly, she pushed her seat back and crossed the room to the large windows. She carefully pulled open the curtains and the windows, allowing sunlight to mask over the artificial light from above. Aspen let out a sigh of relief as the sun's rays washed over her, before turning back to Cordelia and taking a seat once again.

"Sorry, really. I just get headaches easily under all this artificial light. The fresh air and sun really does wonders to make me feel better." Aspen offered her an innocent enough smile, and shrugged her shoulders- happy for the once growing headache pain to finally cease.

"Is it always like that for you?" Cordelia began to write away on the piece of paper in front of her. "Headaches caused from not enough sunlight?"

"Pretty much. I mean, I'm fine during the night and I can spend a few hours locked up inside with all the fake stuff, but after awhile it takes a toll. Isn't it like that for everyone? You know how the saying goes- a breath of fresh air can do wonders."

"No," The headmistress bluntly put it, pursing her lips in thought. "You have a natural relationship with plants, you conjured a deadly, botanical poison, and you require sunlight to live comfortably. I've heard of similar powers before but I really need to run a few tests before it's confirmed."

"Really?" Aspen perked up in her seat, "what do you think it is?"

"Photosynthetic mimicry. Not much is known about it, but there are several test I can run to find out if that is truly what you possess. We'll start in the morning until then, try to get comfort-"

Before Cordelia could continue for a second time, a scream erupted from somewhere in the house. Both of the woman made startled eye contact, before ripping up from their seats and bolting out of the office to find the source of whoever caused the untimely interruption.


	3. Chapter 2

**˚✧* –––** **Chapter Two** ❜

After investigating the scream, Cordelia and Aspen had found out that it was simply the even newer girl who had been scared by Madison and the others as a simple prank. Cordelia expressed her distaste with it, but was quick to brush it off and lead them to their rooms. Much to Madison's dismay, Zoe was to share a room with her and Aspen would get the free room down the hall.

Aspen eagerly ignored Madison's pleas of frustration and hurried down the hall to the room just to the right of Madison and Zoe's. When Cordelia threw open the doors, Aspen wasn't surprised to see it plainly decorated like the others. There was two beds pressed against the wall, with only one of them being made up. Against the opposite wall was a spotless, white dresser and a large bay-like window. Lining the wall was several shelves and finally, another door that lead to the bathroom joined with another room. According to the headmistress, the other room connected to the bathroom was vacant, leaving her with a private bathroom.

"I really can't thank you enough," Aspen entered the room fully and the first thing she did was open the curtains all the way and pulled sliding window ajar. "Is it alright if I liven this place up a bit? You know, a few plants and posters. No nightshade, I promise." Her full lips quirked into a half joking smile at the small comment.

"Be my guest! This room is all yours now, unless we get another witch here, then you'll get a roommate. Until then, yep. Decorate it as you please!" Cordelia turned away to leave her behind but paused in the doorway. "Oh, by the way- we have a greenhouse. We mainly plant things there for potions but feel free to check it out and start up your own little collection, if you'd like. You can find me there most of the time but I don't mind the company."

The woman gave Aspen a genuine smile, before gently closing the door behind her and heading down the hall. After being left to her own devices, the botany enthusiast picked up her suitcase that she found sitting at the foot at her bed. She carefully set it on her bed, wary of messing up the neatly pressed blankets. When she got in the car earlier that day with Myrtle, the weird lady mentioned her adoptive mother, who Aspen called her mom despite not being a member of the family for very long, packed her some clothing and little things that may bring comfort.

When Aspen saw that only her black clothings were packed, she cocked an eyebrow in slight confusion. She didn't realize that the academy had a dress code, and while she disliked the lack of color, she'd make due. To her happiness though, Aspen found that her mother packed several botanical journals, and her flower pressing book. She carefully hugged them to her chest, before arranging them on one of the many shelves around the room. By the time she reached the bottom of her suitcase, Aspen felt a tug at her heart. In her new mother's handwriting, was a letter.

She quickly ripped open the envelope and unfolded the notebook paper letter that she found later than when she would have wanted. Reading that note during the car ride here would have calmed her nerves down significantly. Better late than never she began to read it. Aspen took a seat on the bed and pulled her legs up to her chest as she began to scan the paper.

' _There is so much to say, but little time. While we can always call, I figured having a tangible source of support may be helpful to you. No matter how long or how little you have been apart of this family, I will always see you as one of my daughters. You are a smart and beautiful young lady, and while I'm not sure about this whole scenario, I know you will do great. I feel like a bad parent for just shipping you away with no choice, but after this incident I know you must get the help you need. Once you've graduated, you'll be welcomed back here with open arms and inviting smiles. Remember that we all love you and are rooting for you- our own little witch._ '

Aspen let out a small sob as she read the note, folding it up once she finished and setting it on the nightstand next to her bed. Of course she could always call, but they weren't actually here for her. Loneliness began to jab at her, only to be interrupted by a small knock and the creaking of her bedroom door. Nan peeked her chestnut hair in, a slight scowl on her face.

"C'mon, dinner is ready. And stop crying, sheesh. It isn't like you aren't ever going to see them again." The Clairvoyant didn't wait any further, before turning around and leaving Aspen to follow behind.

By the time Aspen reached the dining room, the other girls were already sat down and ready to eat, minus Cordelia. Though she wouldn't admit it, she found herself feeling a bit anxious. The other girls were nice, but having Cordelia there made her feel less in danger of being judged. The blonde took a deep breath and pushed her nerves down, before waltzing into the room and taking a seat between Queenie and Nan.

"Poor bastard ain't got no tongue. Is that true, Jeeves?" Madison spoke up, completely ignoring Aspen's presence. "Did you use your tongue for something wicked? Or maybe you just suck at going down."

Aspen took the moment to study this Jeeves man. There was something about his thin hair and neatly pressed suit that made her shudder slightly. She couldn't put her finger quite on it, but that man was weird. She never tried to judge people by their covers but every single inch of her warned Aspen to stay away from him as much as possible. Despite the young child star's comments, he ignored her and continued to set down trays of food in front of them.

Seeing that Madison wasn't going to give the guy a break, Aspen ignored Madison and began to pick away at her meal which consisted of chicken and several different vegetables. She stabbed her broccoli with her fork and was mid bite when Madison turned her attention to Zoe and Aspen.

"So, new girls… What are you in for?" It was an innocent enough question, for a girl who seemed to be quite wicked.

"Her boyfriend," Nan spoke up once again and pointed at Zoe, "and a poisoning." She finished off her sentence with nodding her head in Aspen's direction.

"Nan, shut up before you get your ass in trouble." Queenie sharply warned the other witch, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Poisoning, huh?" Madison's hazel eyes landed on Aspen, who sat in front of her, in a predatorial kind of way. "What happened?"

"Look, it was an accident. I didn't mean to kill the guy. I was just working at my parent's garden store when this weird dude busted in and pointed a gun in my face. Obviously I threw my hands up to cover myself and next thing I knew, he was on the ground." She let out a small sigh, letting her frustration at the event pour out. "It was a long day at work, we made a lot of money. I didn't want some douche to take it all. I didn't think I'd spurt out nightshade or whatever, and kill him!"

Satisfied with the answer, Madison turned to Zoe now. "So, your boyfriend. Did you kill him?"

"No. It was an accident," Zoe passively shook her head, eyes casted downwards on her plate. She was obviously uncomfortable with the subject.

"It was an accident, Zoe. And you will find love again." Nan spoke up, attempting to bring some sort of comfort or reassurance to her newest coven sister. "A strange, and unexpected love."

"Girl," Queenie interrupted and slammed her fist on the table. "Are you deaf, or just stupid?"

"Tell us about this accident," Madison pressed on, "and don't spare the gory details."

Aspen rolled her eyes at Madison's insensitivity and tried her best to block out the other girl as she went on to tell her story on how she got to the academy. She cut her chicken into small pieces and took a bite, savoring in the smoky flavor of it. Aspen didn't need to know about what happened- she already knew that the two of them wouldn't get along, especially if she kept this sort of attitude up.

She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts though, by a scraping sound and Queenie letting out a quick gasp. Aspen snapped her head up and watched as the dark haired girl slammed her bowl back on the table and reached for her fork. For a minute there, Aspen thought that Queenie was going to stab her with it. Before she could laugh at the image of Queenie reaching over the table and Madison struggling to scramble away, Queenie slammed the fork into her own hand. In turn, Madison let out a painful yelp, four entry wounds and blood beginning to pool from out of her hand on it's own.

"Stop it, you bitch!" Madison shrieked in pain, drowning out Zoe's small gasp.

"Stop what?" Queenie cocked her head to the side, "I don't feel nothing! I'm a human voodoo doll. You like this?"

"You're going to get in trouble!" Nan pleaded, leaning over to Queenie and shaking her arm gently. When Queenie refused to give in, Nan pried the fork out of her flesh and tossed it down on the table.

"Holy shit," Aspen mumbled out, eyes as wide as the moon.

Just when she thought it was done, Queenie lifted a life up to her throat and pressed it menacingly against her skin. "I'll do it."

Before she could though, Nan took the knife and convinced her to get up and walk out of the dining room with her, leaving the three blondes to sit in silence. Madison picked up her napkin and pressed it against her stab wound, a grimace stuck on her face. After a few minutes of silence, Madison took to her normal self and let out a dramatic sigh.

"Well, that was disturbing. Given the choices around here, it looks like you two are my friends. You can compete for who is best later on when I need entertaining, for now you girls need to change." Madison lifted her phone up and punched in her passcode.

"What? Why?" Aspen immediately regretted asking.

"There's a frat party tonight. I just got the Tweet, and you guys are coming with me."

Aspen had to hold back a groan. Instead she mumbled a whatever and got up from the table, intending to go change. She wasn't really the party type, but then again she wasn't the 'witch type' last she checked either. The least she could do was try to fit in and maybe make some new friends now that she was to be living in New Orleans for who knows how long.


	4. Chapter 3

˚✧* ––– Chapter Three ❜

 _Author's Note_ : Thank you so much for those who have read so far. I know that this shipping isn't a popular pair, but I do appreciate those who will give it a chance. I really hope you like this story so far. I have a lot planned, and even an idea of a sequel stirring around in my mind already so I hope you guys like it as much as I do!

Music mixed with the laughs and chatter of college students, the strong scent of alcohol and sweat stirred together, and the multicolor strobe lights all made for a wild frat party. At least, that was as wild as Aspen hoped it would get. She huddled closer to Madison and Zoe than she had wanted, shivering slightly. Why she agreed to wear what Madison suggested was beyond her. Instead of being in her normal clothes, she was now stranded in a rose print romper that had a plunging v-neck and barely there shorts. The silk itself already lacked warmth, and with her blonde hair tied up in a bun, she could already feel goosebumps prickling at her.

Aspen followed Madison through the large house and towards a staircase, a small frown plastered on her face as they weaved through crowds of dancing sorority girls and frat boys. She tried her best to keep a calm demeanor, despite being nearly tripped and trampled several times already. When Madison came to a stop in the stairwell and took out a cigarette, Aspen turned to Zoe, only to find the other girl gone. A worried frown settled on her, and she turned to the other party goer.

"Hey, where is Zoe?" Aspen spoke up loudly over the pop music, catching Madison's attention.

"Who cares?" She shrugged her shoulder and gave her eyes a slight roll. Before Aspen could further protest, The child star's eyes landed on a rather handsome frat guy. "You want to be my slave tonight?"

"What's in it for me?" The guy leaned against the wall behind him and rested his hands on his belt buckle.

"Are you stupid? Slaves get nothing." Aspen awkwardly leaned away from the two, giving them their space. She had been a third wheel before, but never this bad. Instead of moping though, she listened to Madison curiously. "Now why don't you get us a drink?"

When the guy gave Madison a sly smirk and gave Aspen a small nod in her direction, Aspen bit down on her lower lip nervously. The amount of times she had been a third wheel throughout her life was something she rather forget. It was then she decided that after the guy came back and gave her a drink, Aspen would split and hide out in the backyard or something so Madison could get some space.

The frat boy returned with a friend- some redhead with boring, brown eyes. They handed the two girls red solo cups with something that Aspen couldn't quite put her finger on inside. She was never a drinker, but it was too late to go back.

"Thanks," Aspen took a sip and a step forward, intending to slip between the two. "I'll catch you later, Mads. Just text me or something."

"Ugh, ew. Don't call me that again." Madison dropped her cigarette onto the floor and stomped it out with her midnight black high heels.

Aspen was halfway through the house when she felt a hand grab onto her wrist, causing her to turn around hopefully. Maybe Madison ditched the guy, or Zoe finally found her? To her displeasure though, it was the redhead from earlier. Maybe it was the varsity jacket or the obvious 'fuck boy' haircut, but just his presence shouted 'frat boy'.

"H-Hey, wait." When Aspen stopped and turned to him, he flashed her a toothy smile. "There's something really cool you gotta check out. Follow me!"

"No thanks. I really have to find my friend, she's…" Aspen trailed off when she caught sight of Zoe over the guy's shoulder. It looked as if her new 'sister' found some cute blond guy to spend her night with. A small frown tugged on her lips when she realized she'd just third wheel again. Insecurity nipped at her until she finally gave out a sigh of defeat, and nodded at the guy. "Fine, sure. Show me what you're so excited about."

He took his clammy hand in hers, and led her back to the stairwell that she had previously lounged around at with Madison. The only difference this time, was that Madison was gone. Aspen didn't give it a second thought, figuring that she had wandered off with that guy to go dance or something, as she half jogged up the stairs with the stranger.

"What is it that you are showing me exactly?" She asked curiously, as the two headed down a dark hallway.

"It's a surprise, don't worry."

He stopped outside a bedroom door and knocked on it. When there was no response, he pushed the door open and stepped back so Aspen could walk in. She crossed her arms defensively before walking into the dark room and flicking on the lights. When the witch noticed there was nothing in the room of importance, she turned to the guy with a look of frustration on her face.

"If you think this is the part where we hook up, you're crazy." Aspen suddenly spat out at him defensively, when she realized what was going on.

He let out a small laugh and locked the door behind him, "It's a good thing that we spiked your drinks then, right? Soon enough you won't be able to move, let alone fight me on it."

The creep crossed the room and quickly tugged at Aspen's romper. Instead of sorrow though, she felt anger- more at him than the man who tried to rob her. He kissed at her exposed neck as she tried to back away, nearly tripping over her own feet. The smell of sweat and Axe body spray clung to him, causing her stomach to do barrel rolls in disgust. Despite how many times she shoved he just kept on advancing. Finally, Aspen felt herself cross a line.

"Stop, now!" She gave one final shove and instead of going back a few inches, he went flying across the room and slammed into the opposite wall.

Aspen let out a small gasp when he fell to the ground, knocked out cold from the impact. She took a minute to catch her breath and fix her romper, tears of disgust and malice streaming down her face. When she stepped over his sprawled out legs and back into the hallway, that was when she remembered: he said their drinks. Madison's drink. Fear flashed across her face, just as Zoe and the guy she was with earlier hurried up the stairs.

"Zoe, Madison's in trouble! Those guys tried to drug us. I-It didn't work on me, I think, but Madison! I don't know where she is!" Aspen spoke so fast that she could barely believe that she was able to get it all out.

The guy, who she heard Zoe call Kyle, lead them further down the hall and to a door where a few guys were lined up outside. Kyle shoved the door open with his shoulder, and the sound of moans and repugnant laughter filled the halls. Being short Aspen couldn't see much, but a bunch of guys were crowded around the bed. All of the sudden, Kyle began to shout something about a phone, though his voice was drowned out by the upbeat music. Before she could ask, he swung at a guy and they all went running out of the room, Kyle following closely behind.

When the crowd of guys cleared, Aspen's eyes landed on a half-awake Madison. Her hair was a mess, and her dress hiked up her legs. It was as if her eyes were emotionless as she stared up at nothing in particular. Both Zoe and Aspen cried out as they hurried over to the bed where their frenemy laid.

"Madison, hey!" Zoe shook her shoulder, causing Madison to lay onto her back.

"It hurts," Madison whispered out, her lips barely moving as Aspen pulled the blanket around her.

"Okay, look, stay here, okay? I'm not gonna let them get away with this." Zoe pulled herself off the bed, her eyes shooting over to Aspen. "Watch over her, I'll be back."

"Give them hell," Aspen bitterly responded, watching Zoe run out of the room.

As soon as Zoe was gone, Aspen took to work. She didn't know exactly what she was doing, but it felt right. It was as if she didn't have control over her own actions. She put her left hand on Madison's sweat forehead, and began to mumble the first thing to come to her mind.

"Na fygei to dilitirio, to aima einai katharo," Aspen knew it sounded crazy- hell, she didn't even know what she said, but Madison began to throw up over the side of the bed.

After a moment of throwing up, Madison wiped her mouth and pulled herself up. She was visibly better- her skin no longer pale, and sweat no longer clinging to her. However the dead look still rested in her eyes. She pulled the blanket off herself and simply stood up, walking straight past Aspen leaving the other girl to chase after her.

Aspen followed Madison outside of the house, stumbling over the poor fools that Madison pushed out of her way until she reached out front. Just as they got to the front lawn, Zoe darted down the street, screaming at some bus to stop. Madison's pace quickened as she reached Zoe and watched the car drive away. She let out a final sob before lifting her hand slowly, causing the entire bus to flip.

Zoe and Aspen let out a startled cry as the vehicle flipped multiple times, the sound of metal and glass popping rising over the now distant music. What Aspen assumed to be the motor, finally blew and caused the entire car to catch aflame. Down the street the party goer's outside all began to scream as well, a few running towards the car and others rushing inside. A handful of the people were already on their phones calling for an ambulance to come help.


	5. Chapter 4

**˚✧* –––** **Chapter Four** ❜

As she suspected on her way home from the party, Aspen Simone didn't get that much sleep that night. At around eight in the morning, she rolled out of bed and ripped open her curtains, bathing in the fresh sunlight let in. She felt fine physically, but mentally she found herself tired and frustrated. She couldn't believe how stupid she was to have fallen for those damn frat guys. She had heard about it so many times from cheesy teen dramas like Degrassi: The Next Generation, that she should never drink something that she didn't get herself.

She found herself in her sterile bathroom, looking at the reflection in front of her. Her tousled hair was dirty and anything but sane looking, Aspen's nose a bit too wide for her own liking, and her neck almost giraffe like in her point of view. She wasn't that pretty, and she was as her classmates used to call her- stick thin. Why did those guys target her? She could understand why Madison, even Aspen couldn't deny that girl was attractive. At the thought of the other girl, she frowned in the mirror. Maybe she was wrong about Madison? Maybe she was too quick to judge?

Aspen peeled off her silk pajamas and made a bee-line back to her dresser in her room. She retrieved a velvet midnight black romper, an emerald collarless faux fur jacket and finally a black beret and quickly slipped it all onto her petite frame. When she shrugged on the jacket, she couldn't help but let a small smile whisper on her face. They may have to wear black all the time, but they definitely wouldn't take away her colorful accessories. Finally, she plopped the beret on her head and slipped on a pair of black high heels, and headed out her bedroom door.

When Aspen got to the kitchen, all the other girls were already getting ready to eat and watch from the small television set. Curiously, the witch took a peek at the screen, only to feel as if she had been hit by a brick wall. A platinum blonde woman spoke outside of what she assumed to be a hospital, with the banner below her reading 'Frat Party Nightmare: Seven students killed in car crash.'

"The Louisiana campus is still in shock over the tragic bus crash last night. Nine members of the fraternity Kappa Lambda Gamma were on board. Seven of the boys died on scene, two were rushed to to Troost Medical Center where they remain in critical condition. Officials will not confirm the identities of the deceased."

Upon seeing Zoe's eyes widen in horror, and Madison walk into the room, Aspen reached across and stabbed the power button with her finger as hard as she could. She willed herself to think about something- anything else, afraid that Nan would pick up on her thoughts and call her out.

"Hey, I was watching that." Nan frowned slightly at her newest classmate.

"Why?" Madison spoke up before Aspen could reply as she crossed the kitchen. "It's yesterday's news. They got any Greek yogurt?" She asked as she approached Spalding, who was unloading items into the fridge.

Aspen pulled herself away from Nan and Queenie, to join Zoe and Madison on the other side of the room. Zoe was obviously anxious about the entire thing. From the way she stood a bit too straight and her lips quivered just slightly, Aspen knew she had to step in and try to calm her down.

"We have to tell someone what happened," Zoe whispered, eyes darting between the other two. "The one I met- Kyle, he tried to stop it. He was on that bus!"

"No, Zoe that would just-"

"What are we talking about? College boys?" A new voice interrupted Aspen.

She hadn't recognized the voice, so Aspen immediately walked around Zoe to see who had entered. It was a woman, in her fifties if were to guess, claud in a fancy black shirt and matching skirt. A cigarette lounged between her lips as she stopped at the kitchen table, and carefully flicked it's ashes onto one of the porcelain plates.

"Taken in the prime of their lives. Such a tragedy," She turned away from the table and made her way to the three girls huddled together. "Almost makes you want to cry, doesn't it? But, then, the world isn't going to miss a bunch of assholes in Ed Hardy t-shirts."

"Who are you?" Madison narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, obviously already over the stranger's dramatics.

"You know, I've got to hand it to you. A bus flip? That isn't easy. But you were a sloppy little witch bitch." The woman brought her eyes up to Madison and locked into her gaze, determined not to break away.

"Go to hell, you stupid hag."

Madison began to walk away from the woman after her insult, swinging her arms at her side as if she didn't have a care in the world. Aspen watched her for a moment, before looking back at the older woman just in time to see her also lift her arm and flick her wrist. All of the sudden, the child star was flung against the wall with a loud 'thud' and fell on her ass. Aspen took a step away from the older woman, her heart beat reminding her of the rate a butterfly flaps it's wings.

"Now, I've read all your files." The woman took her cigarette from her lips and jabbed her cigarette out completely on another plate, discarding the butt of it on the table. "And you're never going to become great women of our clan sitting around here at Hogwarts under the confused instruction of my daughter. We're going on a field trip."

The headmistress' mother began to walk towards the door and casted one look in Queenie's direction, her eyes wandering on the younger girl's amber colored shirt. "Jesus, go change your clothes. Wear something… black."

Once the old lady was out of earshot, Aspen crossed the room over to Madison who still sat on the floor, cradling her head. She stuck her hand out to the girl she once thought to be annoying, offering her some help. Aspen would never admit it to Madison, but she pitied her to the moon and back. Being raped? That was something that even the strongest broke under. The fact that the girl was able to get up, dress, fix her hair and makeup was a feat that Aspen wouldn't have been able to do on her own if she were fully in her position.

"What a bitch," Madison took Aspen's hand and pulled herself up. After she was on both feet, she wiped off the hand she touched Aspen with on her shorts. "My head is killing me now."

"Look, just get changed for whatever the hell this field trip is. I'm already dressed in black, so no issue there. In the meantime I'll try to find some Advil or something for you." Aspen replied cooly, feeling as if she had to help the girl. She had gone through enough already, and now some psycho threw her against the wall when she was already down in the dumps? Not cool at all.

"You won't find any of that," Queenie spoke up as she headed out of the room. "Some crap about 'we have to take care of ourselves and use our natural abilities.' Check the greenhouse, you'll find shit there to make up a pain relief potion."

And so, Aspen did just that. During her free time she always loved to look up different plants and their abilities or meanings. Some were used by their ancestors for healing and medicine, others for poison. Surely they couldn't have been too wrong, right?

The greenhouse was absolutely stunning. Pot after pot lined the walls of the room, growing in every which way. The smell of manure and something that Aspen couldn't recognized swirled together in the damp, dark room. Cordelia stood by a working table, grounding up a few plants that Aspen couldn't recognize right away. As soon as the headmistress realized that someone else was there, she turned around and offered the shorter girl a smile.

"Madison has a headache," Aspen shrugged her shoulders as she closed the greenhouse door behind her. "And I offered to help."

"That's perfect! Your first lesson can be in potion making. There's a lot to learn, and there is even more herbs here that will take you some time to recognize. Working in a garden shop though, I guess you should be ahead of everyone else. Do you know about any with healing powers?"

"I read a book once that said feverfew, peppermint and valerian was used for pain relief. Would something like that work?"

"Right you are, though we are out of peppermint at the moment. You can find the others in the back left corner, once you get it, you have all the tools you'll need right over here."

Aspen nodded her head silently and headed to the back of the room. She had never seen feverfew in person, but it was as if something in her drove her to the plants she needed. Aspen picked up a pair of weed cutters and chopped a few quarter sized white flowers from their stems. Afterwards, she seeked out the familiar, small pink flowers and took them over to the workbench.

"I'm not sure if these are actually feverfew. I've never really seen them before, just read about them…" Aspen trailed off, feeling slightly stupid that she hadn't actually taken the time to remember what they looked like.

"We witches have the unique ability within us to be guided to our goals. It's almost like we have someone pointing us in that direction, or a gut feeling, if you will. Always listen to that feeling, Aspen. It will lead you to success, even in the hardest of times." Cordelia gave her a smile and a small nod of her head. "Your gut feeling was right, you got the feverfew. Now, use this to grind it up."

Aspen took a grey colored mortar and pestle from Cordelia, She places both flowers into the small bowl and used the stone hand piece of squish them. Her knuckles whitened as she tightened her grip and pushed the flowers down as hard as she could, twisting her wrist after every push. Once it was finished, her teacher help load it into the brewing stand and lit the bunsen burner underneath. It took a few minutes, but eventually a small, light green liquid dripped out and into a glass vial provided by Cordelia. Once it was all bottled up, she handed it to Aspen.

"Now, for the final part, you have to say a spell. When it comes to simple things like potions, there is a large list of different spells that can be used. Some of which, can be made up on spot if you focus hard enough and listen to your inner voice. Why don't you give it a try?"

Aspen took the vial and looked into the light, moss green liquid. It swirled within, and even seemed to bubble up a little bit. Carefully, she wrapped it in her palm and pressed her fist against her chest, and searched her mind for the right thing to say.

"Strovilismou kai anakatevoume, na ferei ygeia kai tin evexia." The potion seemed to cool in her hand, the glass now cold to the touch. Aspen pulled her hand back and opened her palm, allowing it to lay in her hand. The potion seemed to almost sparkle as a bit of the liquid began to turn purple and dance along with the green.

"Good job! Looks like it worked. I know this must have been easy for you, but potions like these are beginner stuff. We can try more challenging lessons later on, if you'd like." Cordelia lightly patted Aspen's right shoulder blade.

"Thanks, Cordelia. I'll bring this up to Madison, and I'll have to take you up on that lesson later on."

Aspen hurried on inside through the side door, carefully closing it behind her. After it was secured, she leaned against the eggshell white door and held back a squeal. She gazed into the enchanted potion before her, a sudden feeling of pride washing over her. She forget about everything- the rape and almost-rape case, the accidental murder, and even the fact that she was pulled away from two of her families over the past view years. Maybe Miss Robichaux's Academy was right where she belonged.


End file.
